This week we share our first impressions of the 2021 Buick Envision, and discuss where it’s built and how that affects its driving dynamics in comparison to other luxury compact SUVs like the Audi Q5, BMW X3, and Mercedes-Benz GLC. We also examine vehicle destination fees, discuss why these ballooning delivery charges may add to the cost of your new car, and point out which manufacturers are the biggest offenders of driving up the cost. Other topics include: the discrepancy between a tire pressure gauge and the car's TPMS (tire pressure monitoring system); differences between CR's brand report card and J.D. Power's brand rankings, and how to interpret all that data; and we explain how CR compensates for rain, air, and ground temperatures during brake-distance testing.
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SHOW NOTES
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00:00 – Intro
01:23 – Rise of Destination Fees
09:04 – 2021 Buick Envision First Impressions
17:47 – Question #1: What is the the difference between CR’s Brand Report Card and J.D. Power’s Brand Ranking?
20:45 – Question #2: Why is there a discrepancy between a tire pressure gauge and the car’s TPMS (Tire Pressure Monitoring System)
23:27 – Question #3: How does CR compensate for rain, air, and ground temperatures during brake-distance testing?
26:01 – Question #4: Which small SUV would be a suitable replacement for a Mazda6 in order to improve driving in winter weather conditions?
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Sticker Shock: The Truth About Destination Fees
2021 Buick Envision
2016 Buick Envision Quick Drive
Which Car Brands Make the Best Vehicles?
10 Top Picks of 2021: Best Cars of the Year
Winter Driving Tips
Car Maintenance and Repair Guide
Wet Tire Testing at CR’s Track
4K Review: 2017 Mazda CX-5 Quick Drive
Coronavirus Resource Hub
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I’m first !!
Why do we pay destination charges? Do we pay separate destination charges on any other consumer good. They should just include it in the price of the vehicle. Oh and I bet we are also paying sales tax on the destination fee!
Nice program good info people could learn from if not aware like Me who reads since a kid and build Model Cars and Air planes. Road & Track, Motortrend, Car and Driver and European Car Magazine….
Tesla charges 1200USD for destination fee and documentation (the PDF included in the car).
How does the Envision compare to the XT4, engine power, transmission, info screen, steering?
Buick is like Cadillac just more for less. Both handle really well and probably top of the segment in fuel economy.
Thank you so much for reminding people that it’s the tires that make something a great winter vehicle, it’s not have an SUV that does it. I’ve seen plenty of all wheel drive full size SUV’s or giant pickup trucks, sliding off of steep mountain roads in Califonia, while any car with snow chains on it’s drive wheels or real snow tires, not the “all season” tires that most cars have, are doing great, are doing great, stopping or going.
The term “all season” has caused so many accidents, because they are bad when you have to stop or change direction in the snow!
My car’s TPMS is clearly and consistently inaccurate by 3 psi. This is confirmed by many digital guages, including the top two rated by CR itself. The dealer told me that the TPMS is calibrated at sea level when the car is manufactured. I live at high altitude. Unfortunately there is no way to recalibrate it where I do my driving, so I just have to remember to subtract 3.
Destination fees are like bank fees…they just keep on gouging us more and more every single year!
FCA crappiest car manufacturer charging the highest destination charge. I guess they need to survive!
Regarding destination charge. I think one other reason could be, because most people negotiate the price of their vehicle, and DC is paid to the manufacturer, so separating MSRP and DC will be easier/less confusing for the consumers? For companies like Tesla and Genesis, since you can’t negotiate, their cars’ prices includes DC.
excellent catch with the destination charges, great work guys
Thanks for your wonderful videos.
I like how the infotainment is integrated in the cockpit not sticking out…
you guys have no idea about destination fees, in Canada they are typically 1500-2500++ so PDI / Freight can be anywhere from $1995 to $3995.
The consumer should be able to go to the port of entry/delivery and pick up the vehicle. It is a service and if they do not have to deliver it and incur the cost it should be optional.
I’ve noticed that a lot of the design cues, i.e. healights, rearlights, mirrors, interior deisgn etc. , are from Opel – Germany,. Howerver, in 2017 GM sold Opel to the French company PSA. Also in in 2020 the PSA group joined forces with the Chrysler – Fiat group. It will interesting to see how the deisgn (especcially the interior design) of these GM Buick cars delveop in the future.
Excellent as always!
I had ordered the Mach-E and when they send me the window sticker the bottom line had included the destination charge included on the sticker. I don’t feel they were hiding anything yet I do agree they should just build this into the cost.
Are you guys ever going to do another Quick Drive review? Or is this just the Talking Cars channel now?
Seems that destination fees are anti-competitive. It definitely is an abuse to force consumers closer to the plant to pay the same as consumers further away. In a competitive market, you pay for what you get. The Antitrust Department of the DOJ should investigate.